Pumas downplay loss to Pachuca: 'It's the first match, we are a team in formation'

Pumas began their Apertura 2026 campaign with a dismal 0-3 defeat against Pachuca, leaving their fans at the Olímpico Universitario stadium deeply disappointed. The team's performance was described as lacking cohesion, and the final whistle was met with boos from the crowd.

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It's the first date of the tournament, it's a team in formation and we are very clear about that. We know we need to take a bath of humility, we have to work a lot ahead to move forward.

Head coach Esteban Solari endured a difficult official debut, not only due to his players' poor showing but also for being expelled from the match after an altercation with Pachuca's Salomón Rondón. As a result, assistant coach Emerson Panigutti addressed the media.

Panigutti acknowledged the team is "in formation" and stressed the need for "a bath of humility" and significant work ahead. He stated that while there's no specific timeline for implementing the coaching staff's ideas, collective support is crucial to overcome this difficult period. He also defended the team's conduct, asserting they were respectful and did not provoke any incidents with Pachuca.

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There is no time, it's the first date, we cannot talk about time. We need everyone who makes up Pumas, the people, everyone, for a new stage to begin; what happened last tournament is over and a new stage begins today, but every new stage has its time.

The focus now shifts to the next match against Toluca, with the team needing to recover mentally from this significant loss. Panigutti concluded by emphasizing the need to quickly move past the defeat and prepare for the upcoming challenge.

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We were always respectful of everyone, we did not provoke at all, nothing more than that. We have a very close match and we need to recover mentally, above all, as quickly as possible.